The  Next  Step  in  Racial 
Cooperation. 


A Discourse  Delivered  in  the  Fifteenth  Street 
Presbyterian  Church,  Washington,  D.  C., 
November  20,  1921,  by  the  Pastor, 

REV.  FRANCIS  J.  GRIMKE. 


THE  NEXT  STEP  IN  RACIAL  COOPERATION. 

During  the  past  week,  beginning  with  the  fifteenth  and  extend- 
ing through  the  seventeenth,  the  Fifth  Annual  Convocation  of  the, 
Howard  University  School  of  Religion  was  held  in  this  city  at  the 
University.  The  general  subject  discussed  was,  “THE  NEXT 
STEP  IN  RACIAL  COOPERATION. 

As  it  is  the  desire  of  Dean  Pratt  to  extend  the  influence  of  the 
Convocation  as  far  as  possible,  to  carry  the  message  it  brings  to 
all  of  our  churches  through  the  ministers  and  laymen  in  attendance, 
and  through  the  churches  to  reach  all  the  people,  it  has  occurred 
to  met  that  I might  do  my  part  in  helping  to  carry  out  his  desire 
if  I took  the  subject  up  and  directed  your  attention  to  it  for  a little 
while  this  morning.  And  this  is  what  it  is  my  purpose  to  do  at 
this  time. 

It  may  be  well  in  beginning  the  discussion  to  define  the  terms 
of  the  subject: 

(1) .  COOPERATION.  Cooperation  means  the  jaining  of 
forces,  the  working  together*  towards  a common  end,  or  for  a com- 
mon purpose.  That  common  end  or  purpose  must  be  something 
in  which  all  are  interested,  which  somehow  effects  the  interest  of 
all.  People  are  not  likely  to  work  together  or  continue  to  work 
together  very  long  unless  they  feel  that  it  is  to  their  advantage  to 
do  so.  that  somehow  they  are  to  be  mutually  benefitted. 

(2) .  RACIAL  COOPERATION.  By  racial  cooperation  is 
meant  the  races  joining  hands,  working  together  towards  some  com- 
mon end;  agreeing  upon  a program  that  all  will  strive  earnestly 
and  honestly  to  carry  out.  There  was  such  an  understanding 


between  the  nations  composing  the  Allies  in  their  resistance  of 
German  aggression.  They  all  worked  together  with  a view  of  over- 
throwing Germany.  And  they  did  it  because  they  felt  that  it  was 
mutually  to  their  interest  to  do  so. 

(3).  The  Next  Step  in  Racial  Cooperation.  This  implies: 

1.  That  some  steps  have  already \ been  taken.  2.  That  other  steps 
are  to  follow,  and  the  question  is  which  next  ? Or  it  may  mean  the 
final  step,  the  something  more  that  is  needed  in  order  to  complete 
the  task,  to  reach  the  goal,  the  end  aimed  at  * * * * 

With  these  definitions  of  terms,  let  us  now  look  at  the  subject 
and  see  what  light  we  can  throw  upon  it. 

I.  COOPERATION.  In  order  to  cooperate  four  things  are 
necessary  if  it  is  to  be  effectual : 

1.  The  end  or  ends  aimed  at  must  be  clearly  set  forth;  we  mast 
know  definitely  what  we  are  working  for.  There  must  be  no  mis- 
understanding here,  no  clouding  of  the  Issue : all  must  see  alike, 
mast  be  moving  towards  the  same i end. 

2.  All  must  approve  the  end  aimed  at,  must  feel  that  it  is  the 
right,  the  proper  thing  to  do.  If  there  is  any  doubt  as  to  the  pro- 
priety, as  to  the  advisability,  the  expediency  or  the  wisdom  of  what 
is  to  be  done,  the  movement  will  be,  so  far,  a failure. 

3.  There  must  be  a real  desire  on  the  part  of  all  to  further  the 
end  or  ends  aimed  at.  And, 

4.  There  must  be  steady,  persistent  effort  to  reach  the  goal,  to 
realize  the  end  aimed  at.  Cooperation  without  these  conditions 
being  fidfilled-  will  be  in  name  only,  and  will  accomplish  little  or 
nothing. 

II.  RACIAL  COOPERATION. 

1.  Tt  must  be  a cooperation  that  will  conserve  the  SELF-RE- 
SPECT  of  each  race — a cooperation  between  equals  and  not  between 
superiors  and  inferiors.  There  must  be  no  arrogant  assumption 
of  superiority  of  one  race  over  the  other  in  any  work  of  coopera- 
tion if  things  are  to  move  on  smoothly,  harmoniously.  For  the 
purpose  that  we  have  in  mind  here,  there  are  no  superior  and  infe- 
rior races,  in  the  sense:  1.  of  one  race  being  more  human  or  less 
human  than  another.  Whatever  is  essential  to  humanity  belongs 
to  all  alike.  As  human  beings  all  stand  on  precisely  the  same  plain. 
And,  2.»  Tn  the  sense  that  all  races  are  equally  bound  by  the  Ten 
Commandments,  by  the  Sermon  on  the  mount,  by  the  Golden  Rule. 
All  raees,  in  their  relations  one  with  the  other,  must  be  governed 
alike  by  these  great  moral  requirements.  No  race,  because  of  its 
greater  knowledge  and  greater  material  possessions,  in  its  dealings 
with  less  knowing  and  less  well-to-do  races,  mav.  because  of  its 
intellectual  and  material  superiority,  arrogate  to  itself  the  right  to 
sidestep  any  of  these  great  moral  laws.  The  cooperating  parties 


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must  work  in  the  spirit  of  mutual  respect.  Each  must  recognize 
the  right  of  the  other  to  think  for  himself,  and'  not  be  expected  to 
accept  blindly  what  others  may  think.  I mention  this  here  be- 
cause it  sometimes  happens  in  gatherings  of  white  and  colored  peo- 
ple that  colored  people  are  expected  to  listen  quietly,  to  have  no 
ideas  of  their  own,  but  simply  to  accept  what  may  be  advanced  by 
others.  In  all  meetings  or  gatherings  of  this  kind  there  must  be 
the  largest  liberty,  each  must  be  perfectly  Iree'to  give^expression 
to  his  own  views  unhampered  by  the  thoughts  of  others.  The 
freest  expression  should  always  be  invited, and  encouraged. 

2.  It  must  be  a cooperation  that  aims  always  to  conserve  the  ends 
of  justice,  fairplay,  mutual  goods'"  These  ends  are  never  to  be  lost 
sight  of.  Nothing  which  runs  counter  to  them  is  to  be  allowed  to 
enter.  It  must  be  a cooperation  that  faces  the  issues  of  right  and 
mutual  good-will  squarely. 

111.  The  Next  Step  in  Racial  Cooperation.  This  implies,  as  I 
have  already  said,  (1)  that  some  steps  have  already  been  taken. 
What  are  they?  We  have  come , I mean  a goodly  number  of  white 
people  and  of  colored  people,  to  an  understanding  as  to  certain 
tilings  in  regard  to  the  race  issue  in  this  country.  There  are  many 
things  that  we  have  not  yet  come  to  an  understanding  in  regard  to, 
but  some  things  we  have.  And  later  on,  when  we  have  been  suf- 
ficiently educated  in  Christian  principles  and  in  the  rights  of  man, 
in  the  true  principles  of  democracy,  there  will  be  others  added  to 
the  list. 

1.  We  have  come  to  see  that  race-hatred  is  an  evil;  that  no  good 
can  come  out  of  it ; that  it  will  be  better  for  both  races  and  for  the 
country  at  large  to  put  an  end  to  it.  and  to  put  an,  end  to  it  as 
speedily  as  possible.  As  long  as  it  exists  it  will  be  a source  of  irri- 
tation— a disturbing  force,  a source  of  weakness  and  not  of  strength. 
It  is  love  that  should  be  cultivated,  and  not  hate,  good-will  and 
not  ill-will.  * * * 

2.  We  have  come  to  see  that  the  Negro  is  an  American  citizen 
and  that  he,  as  well  as  the  wjhite  man,  is  entitled  to  the  full  pro- 
tection of  the  law — protection  as  to  life,  liberty,  property,  the  pur- 
suit of  happiness.  This  is  guaranteed  to  him  in  the  Constitution ; 
but  over  a large  section  of  our  country  these  guarantees  have  been 
ignored,  he  has  had  little  or  no  protection  under  the  laws.  There 
is,  however,  a growing  sentiment  in  the  South  itself,  among  the 
better  class  of  whites,  among  men  and  women  who  represent  the 
best  brain  and  conscience  of  the  South,  against  the  continuance  of 
this  Condition  of  things.  There  is  a goodly  number  of  such,  and 
that  number  is  growing  and  will  continue  to  grow,  who  are  say- 
ing, and  saying  it  not  in  secret,  but  loud  enough  to  be  heard,  that 
the  Negro  must  have  justice  in  the  courts.  And  they  are  organ- 


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izing  with  that  end  in  view,  and  have  already  done  some  very 
effective  work. 

3.  We  have  come  to  see  that  what  is  good  for  the  white  man  is 
good  for  the  colored  man ; that  what  is  good  for  the  white  child 
is  good  for  the  colored  child.  If  education  is  good  for  the  one,  it 
is  good  for  the  other.  If  playgrounds,  recreation  centres  are  good 
for  the  one.  they  are  good  for  the  other;  if  schools  of  all  grades, 
from  the  kindergarten  up  to  the  highest,  are  good  for  the  one,  they 
are  good  for  the  other.  If  healthy  surroundings,  sanitary  dwell- 
ings, the  chance  to  make  a decent  living  are  good  for  the  one,  they 
are  good  for  the  other.  Even."  good  thing  that  will  help  to  make 
the  white  man  a better  man  and  a better  citizen,  the  colored  man 
also  needs  and  oxight  to  have.  * * * 

4.  We  have  come  to  see  that  lynching  is  an  evil,  that  it  is  just 
as  much  a crime  against  society,  a blow  at  civilization  to  lynch 
a colored  man  as  it  is  to  lynch  a white  man.  We  have  come  to 
see  that  the  spirit  of  the  mob  cannot  be  sanctioned,  winked  at,  con- 
doned, quietly  acquiesced  in.  without  striking  at  the  foundation 
of  civil  government  itself,  without  destroying  all  respect  for  law 
and  order.  Sentiment  against  the  mob  has  been  steadily  growing 
for  years,  and  now  the  matter  isi  crystallizing,  as  we  hope,  in  the 
form  of  a national  law  against  lynching,  now  before  Congress.  * * * 

So  much  foii  the  steps  already  taken. 

2.  By  the  next  step  in  cooperation  may  mean,  what  next  is  to 
be  added  to  this  list  of  cooperative  things— things  that  we  can 
unite  our  forces  in  pushing?  President  Harding  in  his  recent 
Birmingham  address  insists  very  strenuously  upon  a threefold 
equality  for  the  Negro — -political  equality,  economic  equality,  edu- 
cational equality.  From  one  equality  only  he  shuts  him  out,  and 
that  is  social  equality.  So  far  as  social  equality  is  concerned  the 
colored  people  are  not  troubling  themselves  about  it  in  the  least ; 
it  is  the  very  last  thing  they  think  about1.  But  they  are  concerned, 
and  deeply  concerned,  about  the  other  three.  And  they  are  con- 
cerned about  them  because  without  them  they  would  be  placed  at  a 
very  great  disadvantage  in  the  struggle  of  life.  In  every  true 
democracy,  in  every  democracy  worthy  of  the  name,  these  three 
equalities,  at  least,  should  be  the  heritage  of  even"  citizen.  And 
some  day  not  only  the  friends  of  the  Negro,  but  all  good  citizens, 
all  honest,  fair-minded  white  Americans  will  concede  them,  and 
join  hands  in  seeing  that  they  are  realized  in  the  life  of  the  nation. 
The  white  South  does  not  believe  in  the  educational  equality  of 
the  Negro;  it  beli-eves  still  less  in  his  political  equality.  If  we 
listened  to  such  men  as  Senators  Harrison.  Watson.  Heflin,  and 
others  of  their  ilk.  the  Negro  is  never  to  have  his  political  rights 
in  the  South.  Of  one  thing  we  are  sure,  however — men  of  their 
stamp  will  soon  be  off  the  stage  of  action,  and  other  men,  bigger 

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in  brain  and  heart,  more  liberal  in  sentiment,  with  more  enlight- 
ened consciences,  will  come  to  take  their  places ; and  the  leaven 
of  true  democracy,  which  is  already  beginning  to  work  in  the  South, 
will  go  on  working  until  it  has  leavened  the  whole  lump.  The 
Negro’s  political  outlook  in  the  South  is  not  a hopeless  one;  it  will 
be  sure  to  improve  with  the  advancing  years.  The  time  is  coming, 
must  come,  when  his  vote  will  be  counted  there  as  well  as  the  vote 
of  the  white  man.  Either  that  or  the  South’s  representation  in 
Congress  will  be  cut  down.  One  or  the  other  is  bound,  sooner  or 
later,  to  take  place.  The  rest  of  the  Nation  will  not  continue  to 
allow  that  section  of  the  country  to  be  represented  for  voters  who 
are  not  counted.  * * * For  the  present,  therefore,  the  political 
equality  of  the  Negro  in  the  South  must  be  left  out  in  any  scheme 
of  cooperation.  There  is  no  hope  of  getting  any  considerable  num- 
ber of  southern  white  men  to  cooperate  at  this  time  in  securing  to 
the  Negro  his  political  rights  there.  They  may  in  secret  concede 
his  right  to  vote  under  the  Constitution,  but  they  will  be  very  slow 
in  saying  so  publicly,  and  will  be  still  slower  to  make  any  move 
in  that  direction. 

3.  This  brings  us  to  the  last  sense  in  which  the  next  step  in 
Racial  Cooperation  may  be  understood,  in  the  sense  of  the  final 
step — the  step  that  remains  to  be  taken  in  order  to  complete  the 
work  of  race  adjustment,  of  bringing  about  the  harmonious  work- 
ing together  of  both  races  in  mutual  good-will  and  respect.  That 
step,  I believe,  is  the  acceptance  on  the  part  of  both  races  of  Chris- 
tianity, pure  and  simple,  without  additions  or  subtractions.  I 
believe  now,  as  I have  believed  for  years,  that  the  solution  of  our 
race  problem,  as  of  every  other  problem,  is  to  be  found  in  Chris- 
tianity. Jesus  Christ  laid  down  certain  principles  and  acted  upon 
them  which,  if  wre  accept  and  act  upon,  will  heal  all  of  our  differ- 
ences and  will  make  us  brothers  in  fact  as  well  as  theory.  The 
question  of  race,  of  color  never  troubled  Jesus  Christ.  He  was  just 
as  much  at  home  with  a Samaritan  as  he  was  with  a Jew,  with  the 
Syro-Phoenician  woman  who  came  to  him  in  behalf  of  her  daughter 
grievously  tormented  with  a demon  as  he  was  with  the  woman  of 
Jewish  extraction  who  crept  up -behind  him  and  touched  His  gax1- 
mentj  saying,  “If  I but  touch  the  hem  of  his  garment  I shall  be 
made  whole.”  And  why?  Because  lie  thought  of  men  and  dealt 
with  them,  affiliated  with  them,  not  as  members  of  any  particular 
race,  but  as  children  of  God,  and  each  one  as  equally  precious  in 
the  sight  of  God.  Thinking  of  man,  as  He  did,  recognizing  each 
individual,  irrespective  of  race  or  color,  as  bearing  the  image  of 
God,  as  made  in  His  likeness,  it  was  impossible  for  Him  not  to  be 
perfectly  at  home  with  all.  The  superficial  distinctions  that  count 
for  so  much  with  us  counted  for  nothing  with  him.  He  moved  upon 


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a plain  far,  far  removed  from  the  petty  distinctions  which  we 
make.  And  the  purpose  of  Christianity,  if  I understand  it  aright, 
is  to  lift  the  whole  human  race  up  to  that  same  high  level.  We 
hear  a great  deal  about  ineffaceable  differences  of  races,  impassable 
barriers  which  separate  one  from  the  other — of  the  black  peril  and 
of  the  yellow  peril,  and  fhe  necessity  for  all  the  white  races  to 
stop  fighting  each  other  and  get  together  for  the  purpose  of  resist- 
ing the  darker  races.  That  hind  of  talk  and  that  kind  of  sentiment 
is  entirely  alien  from  the  spirit  of  Christianity.  Jesus  Christ  has 
set  up  on  this  earth  a kingdom  that  is  to  be  world-wide,  that  is  to 
embrace  all  races,  and  is  to  weld  men  of  all  races  together  in  a 
great  spiritual  brotherhood  in  which  the  color  of  a man’s  skin  and 
his  race  identity  is  to  play  no  part.  Its  great  aim  is  to  make  over 
the  individual  after  the  likeness  of  Jesus  Christ.  In  other  words, 
to  make  us  into  what  the  apostle  calls  saints  of  God.  to  start  us 
on  the  road  to  sainthood,  to  holiness  of  heart  and  life.  “Till  we 
come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son 
of  God,  unto  a perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of 
the  fulness  of  Christ.”  Now , we  all  know,  or  ought  to  know,  that 
a full  grown  man,  in  the  sense  in  which  the  apostle  is  using  the 
term  here,  that  sainthood  is  not  a matter  of  color  or  race,  but  of 
character.  The  qualities  that  enter  into  the  nrakeu^  of  a saint  are 
the  same  whatever  may  be  the  race  or  the  color  of  the  individual. 
I am  emphasizing  this  in  order  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that 
the  gTeat  aim  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  is  to  develop  character, 
and  character'  of  a certain  type.  The  matter  of  race,  color,  con- 
dition never  enters  for  a moment  into  Has  thought  or  calculation. 
What  cares  He  about  a man’s  race  or  color.  It  is  irhat  the  man 
becomes,  develops  into  under  His  leadership,  that  alone  concerns 
Him.  He  thinks  no  more  of  a white  saint  than  He  does  of  a black 
saint,  or  a saint  of  any  other  color.  The  one  is  just  as  dear  to 
Him  as  the  other,  the  one  isi  held  by  Him  in  just  as  high  estima- 
tion as  the  other. 

If  we  can  only  get  this  thought  into  our  heads  and,  into  our 
hearts:  if  we  will  only  stop  thinking  about  race  and  color  and  begin 
thinking  in  earnest  about  what  Jesus  Christ  is  thinking  about , 
and  what  the  whole  purpose  of  His  kingdom  in  this  world  is  for. 
it  will  go  very  far  towards  settling  all  race  differences.  TTo  mag- 
nify the  things  that  count  for  nothing  in  the  sight  of  God.  and 
give  very  little  attention  or  place  but  very  little  value  upon 
the  thing  that  is  of  greatest  value  in  IHs  sight — character.  This 
will  be  denied,  of  course,  on  the  part  of  a great  many ; but  it  is 
true,  nevertheless.  In  this  country  society,  within  the  Church  as 
wed  as  out  of  it.  is  built  upon  the  idea  that  a white  skin  is  not  only 
of  value,  but  even  where  there  is  neither  intelligence  nor  virtue 


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associated  with  it,  it  is  of  more  value  and  is  entitled  to  greater 
respect  or  consideration  than  a dark  skin,  however  much  of  virtue 
or  intelligence  may  be  connected  with  it.  Think  of  the  places  from 
which  colored  people  are  excluded  simply  because  of  their  color ! 
Think  of  the  difference  in  the  treatment  that  is  accorded  to  people 
on  the  basis  of  color  solely,  simply  because  of  their  complexion, 
their  race  identity.  This  is  the  kind  of  education  that  is  going 
on  all  over  the  country;  the  standard  of  measurement  that  is  being 
set  up  everywhere,  in  the  churches,  as  well  as  out  of  them.  And 
it  all  arises  from  a failure  on  the  part  of  the  church  to  read  aright 
the  mind  of  the  Master,  as  revealed  in  His  life  and  teachings — a 
failure  on  the  part  of  the  church  to  put  the  emphasis  where  Jesus 
puts  it.  upon  character  and  not  upon  race  and  color.  Unfortunate- 
ly, in  the  present  order  of  things  in  this  country,  character,  intelli- 
gence, culture  are  of  small  account  when  put  over  against  race  or 
color.  As  some  one  has  expressed  it,  the  most  degraded  white  man 
is  better  than  the  most  intelligent,  the  most  upright  and  virtuous 
colored  man.  The  white  people,  as  a whole,  would  not  admit  that 
such  is  he  case.  I know;  but  the  course  which  they  are  pursuing 
in  their  treatment  of  the  colored  man  teaches,  if  not  just  that  les- 
son. what  amounts  to  the  same  thing.  His  color  is  the  only  thing 
that  is  ever  taken  into  consideration  in  determining  what  treat- 
ment should  be  accorded  to  him.  In  all  public  utilities  or  places 
the  white  man  goes  any  and  everywhere  on  his  color,  provided  he 
is  able  to  meet  expenses;  the  colord  man  can  go  nowhere,  or  scarcely 
anywhere,  because  of  his  color,  never  mind  how  able  he  may  be  to 
meet  expenses.  Everywhere  he  is  proscribed,  segregated.  Wher- 
ever he  goes  he  finds  the  stress  laid  on  color ; he  finds  a white  skin 
counts  for  more  than  character  or  intelligence,  or  both.  The  evil 
of  estimating  people  in  this  way  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  puts  the 
emphasis  in  the  wrong  place;  it  magnifies,  out  of  all  proportion, 
a thing  which,  in  and  of  itself,  is  of  no  possible  value,  certainly 
none  in  the  sight  of  God.  .Vo  man  is  held  responsible,  according 
to  the  wore!  of  God,  for  his  race  or  color;  or  is  any  account  taken 
of  his  race  or  color  in  grading  him.  but  every  one  is  held  responsible 
for  his  character  and  conduct,  and  is  estimated  accordingly.  That 
is  the  standard  set  up  by  the  great  Teacher;  and  it  is  the  only 
standard  that  should  ever  be  set  up.  Peter  saw  this,  and  with 
great  clearness  sets  forth  the  attitude  which  all  Christians  should 
take,  which  the  Church  should  take  and  hold  unflinchingly  to,  in 
the  statement:  “Of  a truth  I perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of 
persons:  but  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  him  and  worketh 
rishteousness  is  acceptable  to  him.”  You  will  notice  here,  the 
thing  that  makes  men  acceptable  to  God  is  not  that  they  are  of 
any  particplar  race  or  nation,  but  the  fact  that  they  fear  Him  and 


7 


are  upright  in  character  and  conduct.  It  is  character,  not  race  or 
color,  that  Christianity  stresses,  and  that  it  is  seeking  to  make 
dominant  throughout  the  world.  All  distinctions  based  on  race  or 
color,  all  talk  about  ineffaceable  differences,  impassable  barriers ; 
all  attempts  to  segregate  people  on  account  of  race  or  color,  are 
contrary  to  the  spirit  and  teaching  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  are 
directly  opposed  to  the  great  purpose  of  the  setting  up  of  the  king- 
dom of  God  on  earth.  The  apostle  Paul,  who  knew  the  mind  of 
Christ  as  well,  perhaps,  as  anyone,  tells  us  that  He  came  to  break 
down  walls  of  separation,  to  destroy  all  enmities,  and  to  make  us 
all  brethren;  that  in  Christ  Jesus  there  cannot  be  Greek  and  Jew, 
circumcision  and  uncircumcision,  barbarian.  Scythian,  bondman, 
freeman;  but  Christ  is  all  and  in  all.”  These  lesser  distinctions 
are  all  to  be  swallowed  up  in  the  greater  realization  and  conscious- 
ness of  oneness  in  Christ  Jesus.  It  is  the  purpose  of  God,  clearly 
revealed  in  the  scriptures,  to  bring  together,  in  Christ  Jesus, 
believers  of  all  the  races  of  mankind  in  one  great  fellowship. 
“There  is  one  body,  and  one  spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in  one 
hope  of  your  calling^  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism;  one  God 
and  Father;  of  all,  who.  isi  over  dll  and  through  all  and  in  all.” 

Tf  is  because  Christianity  is  whcit.it  ift;  its  aim  what  it  is;  its 
spirit  what  it  is;  its  great  governing  principles  what  they  are.  that 
I am  saying,  the  next  -step  in  Racial  Cooperatidn.  the  step  which 
alone  will  bring  about  the  desired  result,  is  for  both  races  to  swing 
in  line  with  the  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ ;,  is  for  both  races  to  be 
governed  in  all  their  relations  witty  each  other  by  the  standard 
which  He  has  set  up.  And  I mean  just  that — the  next  step  in 
racial  cooperation  should  be  the  honest  acceptance  of  the  principles 
of  the  Christian  religion,  and  the  purpose!  solemnly  formed,  to 
follow  wherever  they  lead,  resrardless  of  personal  consequences.  It 
will  require  courage,  of  course,  to  take  sueh  a forward  step.  To 
be  true  to  Christian  principles,  to  live  out  the  spirit  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  dealing  with  this  race  ouestion.  will  set  us  in  opposition  to 
public  sentiment,  in  opposition  to  what  has  been  the  custom,  what 
hps  been  sanctioned  by  both  church  and  society  for  generations. 
Bpf  it  must  be  done.  We  cannot  continue  to  misrepresent,  as  we 
are  doing,  in  our  teaching  and  in  our  acts,  the  principles  and  ideals 
of  Christianity,  as  we  know  we  are  doing,  and  truthfully  go  on 
calling  ourselves  Christians.  Whatever  of  suffering  it  may  entail 
we  must  take  this  final  step.  Jesus  said,  “If  any  man  would  be 
my  disciple,  let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cress  and  follow 
me.”  He  said  to  the  rich  young  ruler:  “Sell  all  C’at  then  bast 
and  give  to  the  poor,  and  come  follow  me.”  He  said  to  His  dis- 
ciples as  lie  was  sending  them  forth,  “Rehold  I send  you  forth 
as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves.  They  will  deliver  you  up  to  coun- 


8 


ells,  and  in  their  synagogues  they  will  scourge  you ; yea,  and  before 
governors  and  kings  shall  ye  be  brought  for  my  sake.  And  the 
brother  shall  deliver  up  the  brother  to  death,  and  the  father  his 
child ; and  children  shall  rise  up  against  parents,  and  cause  them  to 
be  put  to  death.  And  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name’s 
sake.”  It  shows  that  though  it  may  entail  suffering,  may  bring 
us  in  disfavor  with  our  friends,  relatives  and  others,  Jesus  expects 
us  to  be  time  to  him  and  to  his  teachings.  It  is  only  in  this  way 
that  lie  is  to  gather  out  of  the  world  a peculiar  people.  And  until 
we  are  willing  to  take  this  final  step,  and  take  it  without  .reserva- 
tions, the  thing  that  we  are  aiming  at — good-wall,  peace,  harmony 
between  the  races — will  never  be  realized.  It  is  the  willingness  on 
the  part  of  both  races  to  be  true  to  Christian  principls  and  ideals 
that  alone  holds  the  solution.  We  may  go  on  trying,  as  we  have 
been  doing,  to  substitute  something  else  in  place  of  pure,  unadul- 
terated Christianity ; but  ultimately  we  have  got  to  come  to-  it,  or 
else  go  on  as  we  have  been  going  on.  in  strife  and  hatred.  The 
one  thing  needful  is  to  be  found  in  Christianity  alone,  in  Chris- 
tianity which  emphasizes  the  sacredness  of  the  indivdual,  the 
fatherhood  of  God  and  the  brotherhood  of  man — of  man,  of  all 
men,  white,  and  black,  and  yellow,  and  brown,  and  red — all 
brothers,  the  children  of  one  common  father,  God.  It  wall  not 
be  an  easy  matter  to  take  this  final  step.  There  are  great  obstacles 
in  the  way:  prejudices  will  have  to  be  overcome,  long  established 
customs  will  have  to  be  uprooted.  Old  things  will  have  to  pass 
away,  and  a new  order  of  things  set  up.  And  if  we  had  to  tackle 
the  problem  in  our  own  strength  alone,  it  would  be  a hopeless  one; 
but  we  need  not  tackle  it  in  our  own  strength  alone.  Back  of  the 
Christian  religion  is  the  mighty  power  of  God.  ‘‘Who  art  thou, 
great  mountain?  Before  Zerubbabel  thou  shalt  become  a plain.” 
“Not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  spirit,  saith  the  Lord 
of  host.”  “Hail!  All  powrer  in  heaven  and,  earth  hath  been  com- 
mitted unto  me.  And,  lo,  I am  with  you  alwiays,  even  unto  the 
end  of  the  ages.”  In  and  of  ourselves  we  wall  never  be  able  to 
weld  men  of  all  races  together  in  one  great  brotherhood,  but  God 
Almighty  and  Jesus  Christ  his  Son.  working  through  us,  can.  And 
that  is  our  hope,  and  our  only  hope.  Tf  the  change  for  the  better 
ever  comes,  it  will  bit  in  this  way,  and  in  no  other.  The.  more  wre 
make  of  Christianity;  the  nearer  we  get  to  Jesus  Christ  in  char- 
acter and  life ; the  more  fully  wre  come  to  accept  His  great  prin- 
ciples, His  leadership:  the  more  of  His  spirit  we  get  into  us.  the 
nearer  we  will  be  to  the  solution  of  all  of  our  problems,  raqial 
and  otherwise.  The  prayer,  the  great  prayer,  that  we  all  need 
to  be  sending  up,  and  sending  up  continually,  is  “Thy  kingdom 
come,  thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  done  in  heaven.”  And 


9 


see  to  it  that  we  are  doing  all  that  we  can  to  answer  our  own 
prayer.  We  can  all  help  to  bring  in  the  kingdom  of  God  here  on 
earth  if  we  will,  if  we  make  up  our  minds  to  do  so. 

I read  recently  a very  interesting  book  by  Mr.  Fred  Eastman, 
entitled,  “Unfinished  Business,”  prepared  particularly  for  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  in  the  introduction  of  which 
these  words  occur:  “The  reason  for  our  striving  for  religious  and 
political  freedom,  education,  and  service  is  deeply  rooted  in  our 
theology.  You  cannot  plant  in  the  human  heart  the  great  con- 
ception of  a sovereign  God,  indwelling  in  the  human  soul,  without 
that  idea  some  day  dowering  in  reverence  for  human  personalitv. 
And  sooner  or  later  reverence  for  human  personality  bears  fruit 
in  pactical  efforts  for  freedom,  education  and  service ; for  freedom, 
education  and  sendee  are  necessary  for  the  full  development  of 
the  divine  possibilities  in  human  personality.  This  is  why  the 
Presbyterian  Church  has  always  made  evangelism,  by  which  we 
mean  gettng  the  human  soul  into  fellowship  with  God,  fundamental 
in  all  its  work.” 

And  this  is  the  point,  particularly,  to  which  I am  calling  atten- 
tion. According  to  this  definition,  what  is  the  work,  the  great 
work  to  which  the  Church  is  committed?  It  is  EVANGELISM. 
And  what  is  EVANGELISM,,  as  here  defined?  It  is  getting  the 
human  soul  into  fellowshiu  with  God.  If  that  is  what  the  Church 
really  believes  evangelism  to  be ; and  if  that  is  what  it  is  aiming 
to  effect — to  bring  the  human  soul  into  fellowship  with  God — how 
is  it  possible  for  the  question  of  race  or  color  ever  to  come  up  in 
determining  its  attitude  towards  any  human  being  or  any  class 
of  human  beings?  For  if  men  may.  fellowship  with  God.  men  of 
all  races  and  colors,  why  may  they  not  fellowship  with  each  other? 
Dare  we,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  take  the  position  that  men 
who  may  fellowship  with  God  may  not  fellowship  with  us;  men 
who  may  fellowship  with  Jesus  Christ  are  not  fit  for  fellowship 
with  us  ? And  yet  that  is  just  the  attitude,  largely,  of  white  Amer- 
ican Christianity.  It  is  seeking,  it  says,  to  bring  men  into  fellow- 
ship with  God,  and  at  the  same  time  it  is  not  willing  itself  to 
fellowship  with  men  if  they  happen  to  be  of  a different  race  or 
color.  The  inconsistency  between  this  definition  of  Evangelism 
and  the  actual  practice  of  the  Church  is  most  glaring,  and  the 
assumption  underlying  it,  as  it  seems  to  me,  is  most  blasphemous. 
I can’t  help  feeling  that  if  we  would  stop  and  think  seriously  of 
this  definition  of  evangelism,  and  it  is  a correct  definition,  as  out- 
lining, in  part,  the  mission  of  the  Church,  it  would  make  a differ- 
ence; it  would  revolutionize  things;  it  would  put  the  whole  ques- 
tion of  race  relations  in  an  entirely  new  light  Day  by  day,  if  we 
would  carry  about  with  us  the  thought  that  men  of  all  races  and 


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colors  may  fellowship  with  God,  and  get  that  fact  well  and  firmly 
established  in  our  hearts  and  minds,  I think,  we  would  be  slow 
to  set  up  barriers  against  any  one  on  account  of  race  or  color ; we 
would  be  slow  to  arrogate  to  ourselves  a superiority  to  God  him- 
self. And  yet  that  is  just  what  race  prejudice  does.  It  refuses 
to  fellowship  with,  holds  itself  above  affiliation  with  those  with 
whom  God  fellowships.  It  has  always  seemed  to  me  a most  arro- 
gant and  blasphemous  position  to  take : so  different  from  the  spirit 
of  the  lowly  Nazarene.  AVhen  the  sheet  was  let  down  from  heaven, 
a voice  was  heard  which  said  to  Peter,  “Rise,  kill  and  eat.”  But 
Peter  said  “Not  so.  Lord;  for  I have  never  eaten  anything  that 
Ls  common  and  unclean.”  And  the  voice  came  imto  him  again  the 
second  time,  “What  God  hath  cleansed,  make  not  thou  common.” 
I do  not  know  whether  Air.  Eastman  fully  realized  what  he  was 
saying  when  he  framed  this  definition  of  evangelism;  whether  he 
saw  its  far-reaching  import,  its  bearing  upon  the  very  thing  we 
have  been  discussing,  race  relations,  or  not ; but  I hope  he  did. 
And  I hope  that  it  will  not  be  long  before  we  will  all  come  to  see 
that  fellowship  with  God  is  a much  bigger  thing  than  fellowship 
with  man ; and  that  since  men  of  all  races  and  colors  may  fellow- 
ship with  God,  it  ought  to  be  possible  for  men  of  all  races  and 
colors  to  fellowship  with  each  other.  It  will  be  possible,  if  men 
who  profess  to  be  Christians  will  set  the  example,  will  throw  their 
influence  actively  in  favor  of  such  fellowship.  As  long  as  a man’s 
status,  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ,  contrary  to  the 
teaching  of  reason  and  common  sense,  is  determined  by  the  color 
of  his  skin  or  his  race  identity,  things  will  go  on  from  bad  to  worse, 
will  never  be  any  better;  the  kingdom  of  God  will  never  come; 
men  will  never  be  brothers  in  any  true  sense  of  the  term.  And, 
therefore,  I say  deliberately,  our  next  step,  and  the  step  next  to 
the  next  in  racial  cooperation  is  a step  nearer  to  Jesus  Christ;  Ls 
the  opening  of  our  hearts  more  fully,  more  completely  to  the  domi- 
nating. controlling  influence  of  Christian  ideals  and  principles. 
When  Jesus  Christ  reigns  in  our  hearts  there  will  be  no  trouble 
along  race  lines:  there  will  be  no  raising  of  the  color  question  any- 
where. Men  will  be  received  and  treated  everywhere  on  the  basis 
of  character  and  worth.  Tennyson’s  noble  lines  are  wrell  worth 
remembering : 

“Howe’er  it  be.  it  seems  to  me, 

’Tis  only  noble  to  be  good. 

Kind  hearts  are  more  than  coronets. 

And  simple  faith  than  Norman  blood.” 

The  mere  we  are  educated  under  that  kind  of  teaching,  the  less 
there  will  be  of  race  friction,  the  easier  it  will  be  to  work  together 
in  tv  nee  end  harmony,  to  uursue  the  even  tenor  of  our  ways  with- 


ii 


out  being  reminded  of  one’s  race  or  color.  The  greater  things  of 
the  Spirit  will  come  in  and  drive  out  the  lesser  things  of  the  flesh, 
and  so  the  whole  plain  of  living  will  be  lifted.  Men  will  be  brothers 
and  not  a set  of  barbarians  ever  clashing  with  each  other,  ever 
seeking  to  lord  it  over  each  other. 

“Less  of  self  and  more  of  Christ, 

None  of  self  and  all  of  Christ.  ” 

is  the  way  out  of  our  present  difficulties;  is  the  way  to  permanent 
racial  peace  and  harmony.  Not  until  we  are  willing  to  meet  all 
men  as  brothers,  on  the  basis  laid  down  by  Jesus  Christ,  will  it  be 
possible  to  break  down  the  barriers  which  now  separate  us  and 
which  keep  us  apart  in  envy  and  strife.  In  Jesus  Christ  alone 
will  there  be  perfect  racial  cooperation;  in  Christ  Jesus  alone  will 
men  be  able  to  live  together  in  justice,  righteousness  and  brother- 
hood. There  is  no  other  way : and  the  sooner  we  come  to  realize 
it  and  yield  ourselves  to  the  great  Teacher,  the  better  it  will  be. 
Interracial  relations  will  be  adjusted  in  his  way,  or  not  at  all. 


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